


Pledging A Life to You (Takes Great Courage)

by isuilde



Series: Respite Verse [8]
Category: Free!
Genre: Established Relationship, Future Fic, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, i'm finally allowed to upload this online ww, wedding shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-05
Updated: 2015-01-05
Packaged: 2018-03-05 13:00:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3121064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isuilde/pseuds/isuilde
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The FINA World Aquatic Championships 2023 is held on Barcelona, Spain, and the only event that Rin joins in is the 400 meters individual medley. </p>
<p>He has two reasons for that. The first one is because he’s not only aiming for the gold, this time, but also to break the world record. The second reason is because Gou’s wedding is only three days before the tournament. </p>
<p>(a.k.a: wedding shenanigans. That is all.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pledging A Life to You (Takes Great Courage)

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the anthology Streamline to the Sky a year ago, so S2 hadn't aired yet. Thus the lack of S2 characters (with the exception of Sousuke, because High Speed!). Keep in mind that it's been completely jossed, just like the everything in Respite Verse is.
> 
> (I also apologize for the lack of quality lmao.)

The FINA World Aquatic Championships 2023 is held on Barcelona, Spain, and the only event that Rin joins in is the 400 meters individual medley. 

He has two reasons for that. The first one is because he’s not only aiming for the gold, this time, but also to break the world record. It’s something that his coach has been urging him to do for some time, and partly because his sponsors think it’s a great idea. What drive him the most, though, are probably the facts that Rin simply likes to keep running, and that Makoto still tells him:  _“You can be so much more, Rin.”_  

The second reason is because Gou’s wedding is only three days before the tournament. 

**\-----o0o-----**  

“It’s a good day,” Mieko insists, when they’re trying to set the wedding date. She looks sternly at Rin when he opens his mouth to comment about how they’re living in modern times, so why the fuck does his mother still believe in such things. “I do not want to hear it, Rin.” 

He shuts up. Gou has the nerve to snort at him. 

To be frank, holding the wedding ceremony abroad is actually cheaper. Rin is a sport celebrity after all, even if it’s not his wedding, there’s bound to be countless people coming if they hold the ceremony in Japan, which means they would have to hold a huge reception afterwards. Having the ceremony abroad means only family and close friends are going to be there, and they can cut down the budget considerably. 

In the end, they all end up coming to Spain three weeks before the tournament. They, in this case, include Makoto, Haruka, Nagisa and Rei, at Gou’s insistence. Seijuurou and his family arrive three days afterwards, and Rin watches as his mother is promptly whisked away by Seijuurou’s mother to discuss more wedding details. 

“Hello,” Seijuurou’s father says awkwardly. Rin runs a hand through his hair, bites back a sigh, and forces a formal smile. 

**\-----o0o-----**  

There are times when Rin wishes so strongly from the bottom of his heart that his father is still alive. 

This is one of those times. 

“Mom, calm down,” he says helplessly, an arm awkwardly putting a hand on his mother’s small shoulder like she’s a doll made of glass. “They’re just flowers.” 

“Flowers,” his mother repeats, elbowing Rin gently on the side. The man winces. “Are very important in weddings. They can’t get it wrong—I specifically ordered a hundred red peonies and roses! Not seventy-five! How did they even get that wrong?” She turns back to the cowering part-timer of the flower shop they’re currently in, switching to English in a single breath. “I want to talk to your manager.” 

The part-timer stutters an affirmative and flees to the back of the shop. Rin stares at him in pity. 

“Some of our guests are coming tonight,” Mieko continues, like she hasn’t just yelled in rapid English at the part-timer. “You’re going to have to welcome them and entertain them for the rest of the evening.” 

Rin isn’t looking forward to that, but there’s nothing he can do but nod. 

**\-----o0o-----**  

It’s a pity that Rin is too busy with his tournament preparation and welcoming the many guests that are coming, Makoto thinks, as he follows the rest of the gang into the chapel where Gou’s wedding ceremony will be held. Being the romantic that Rin is, he would probably have liked to step into this gorgeous chapel for the first time with Makoto. 

Or perhaps that’s only his wishful thinking. A light chuckle escapes from his lips; he shakes his head and gives a small smile when Haruka throws him a questioning look. 

“So this is where Gou will get married?” Nagisa says; his excited voice echoing from the high ceilings sculpted with angels with their wings spread, massive and magnificent; the tips of their feathers touching the top of the stained-glass windows. It’s not a big chapel, but it’s certainly gorgeous. The sunrays from outside cast a rainbow-like shade on them, their steps echoing on the white, pristine floor. “It’s amazing!” 

_Indeed_ , Makoto silently agrees, watching the way sun rays dance across the floor before the altar. He glances at Seijuurou, who is talking to the priest with half-broken English but manages pretty well, and then turns his attention to Nagisa who is already trying to climb up where the altar is. Rei’s already gotten a hand on him, though, so Makoto doesn’t do anything. He sits down on the front seat instead, trying to imagine himself standing next to Seijuurou on the altar, looking down the aisle where Gou would walk with Rin, bathed in the sunrays reflecting seven different colors from the stained-glass windows. He thinks it would be amazing. 

“Nervous already, Makoto?” 

Makoto turns back; Haruka stands there behind him, looking up, eyes tracing the lines of the magnificent angels on the ceilings. Makoto grins, gives a shrug, and says, “Not really. I was just wondering how it would be, standing up there next to Seijuurou and watching Rin bring Gou-chan over.” 

Haruka makes a noncommittal noise at the back of his throat. “Think of it as a practice,” he glances down, this time looking at Makoto straight in the eyes. “You’d be my best man, too, when I get married.” 

Makoto looks back at him, amused. “Already have someone in mind?” 

“No,” Haruka answers smoothly, turning his attention back to the ceilings. “But whether it’d be female or male, I’ll get married.” 

“To someone who will cook you mackerel every morning,” Makoto continues for him, chuckling. Haruka doesn’t respond, but Makoto catches the way he rolls his eyes anyway. “Well, I suppose getting married sounds nice, isn’t it? Making a family with someone you love, that’s a good thing.” 

Haruka stares at him for a long time, like he’s about to say something, but then decides against it and looks over to the altar where he sees the priest and Seijuurou approaching Rei and Nagisa. Probably to scold Nagisa for running around in a chapel. He sighs, moves away with a pat on Makoto’s shoulder and says, “Let’s go.” 

**\-----o0o-----**  

It’s petty, really, but Rin kinda-sorta hates to see Seijuurou and Gou together before the wedding. So he’s started to drag Gou away whenever he finds the two of them spending alone time together, usually with the excuse of consulting his dietary needs or discussing the wedding preparations. Seijuurou keeps pouting at him, the huge dork, but Rin only gives him glares. 

He’s the lucky man who will have Gou all to himself when they get married anyway, so it’s only logical that Rin wants to spend more time with his cute sister before handing her over, right? 

“Mom’s really excited, isn’t she,” Gou says quietly, when the two of them sit down in the hotel lobby for coffee one morning. She has Rin’s current dietary menu spread out on the table, making small notes here and there, marking some parts to ask Rei to calculate when she has the time. “Do you think I shouldn’t have let her take over everything for my wedding, Oniichan?” 

Rin shrugs. “Mom wants to. She’d probably be mad if you meddle with what she’s decided. You don’t have any preference for decorations and stuff anyway, do you?” 

Gou’s ponytail bounces when she nods. “I wonder if she doesn’t get tired. There are so many things she’s taking care of, and she never lets me help.” 

“She likes it. You’re her only daughter; it’s her only chance to do this. She wants to make it perfect for you, too.” 

He thinks he sees a shadow flickers over Gou’s face, but when he looks up, Gou’s already talking excitedly. She’s gesturing on papers, hands moving animatedly as she talks about recent research on nutritions, new diets that Rin should tries, and the comparison between Rin’s training menu and another athlete’s. She’s positively  _beaming_. 

Rin wonders if he’s imagining it. 

**\-----o0o-----**  

Makoto finds Rin’s mother sitting by herself on one of the benches hidden by the shrubs near the hotel swimming pool when he’s about to go back to his room. She gives him a once-over, noting his damp hair, the towel around his neck, and the plastic bag in his hand, then gives him a wide smile. “Went for a swim?” 

“A little,” Makoto replies, returning the smile as he steps closer. He gestures to the empty spot next to her. “May I?” 

“Of course.” She waits for him to settle down, her face steadily looking brighter. “Did you go swimming alone?” 

“No, I went with Haru, but he wants to swim for a bit longer.” Makoto chuckles, runs a hand through his damp hair, and hears Mieko makes a clicking sound with her tongue. He pauses, grinning sheepishly when the towel around his neck is taken, and then Mieko’s hands are pushing his head down and toweling his hair with firm, yet gentle movements. It feels nice. “Mieko-san, was someone with you here before?” 

“No,” she answers smoothly, her voice a motherly soprano that tinkles sweetly in Makoto’s ears. He loves this woman as much as he loves his own Mother. “I have some things to think about, so I’ve been alone. Makoto-kun, when is your family coming?” 

“Tomorrow night, I think.” His family was supposed to come to Spain together with them, but both Ren and Ran had exams on the departure day, so the whole family postponed it. “Ran is really excited to be Gou’s bridesmaid.” 

“I can’t wait to fit her into her bridesmaid gown,” Mieko says, a timbre of excitement behind every word. “There’s so much to take care of, but the Mikoshiba family has been a huge help.” 

“Please don’t wear yourself out too much,” Makoto laughs. “We can’t have the bride’s mother getting sick on the wedding day, Mieko-san.” He winces when Mieko’s hand gently raps on his head in warning, but chuckles anyway. A comfortable silence fills the space between them as Mieko continues to dry Makoto’s hair, making sure to reach every nook Makoto usually misses. He wonders if she used to do this when Rin was little, after he comes out of the pool, and wonders if she chided Rin in the same tone she did to him. 

“I,” Mieko says, breaking the comfortable silence that’s settled over them. “Really want this wedding to be perfect. Gou is a good girl—she really deserves the best,” her hands stop, leaving Makoto’s head and taking the towel away. Makoto looks up at her to find nervous eyes looking down at the floor, and that—that’s so surprising he isn’t even sure how to react. “It’s a huge pressure, Makoto-kun. It really is.” 

Makoto watches her gripping the towel so hard her knuckles go white, and wonders what she’s thinking. 

“There’s so much to take care of—the flowers, the gown, the chapel, the catering, decorations, the cake—I can only ask Rin to take care of some of it because he still has a tournament coming up, and he’s already busy handling our guests. And I—I don’t want anyone else to handle this; I’m Gou’s mother, I want her to have the best wedding, and I just—it’s more reassuring if I get my hands on all the things we need and make sure that nothing goes wrong.” 

She looks at Makoto and smiles. “But this is important. She’s my only daughter, and no offense, Makoto-kun, but seeing that Rin is with you, this is probably my only chance to watch my child’s perfect wedding.” She looks back down on the floor, fingers fiddling with the towel the way Gou would when she’s anxious. “But it’s a huge pressure.” 

“Mieko-san,” Makoto murmurs, shifts closer and reaches out to take her hand. “We all come here to help. Haruka, Nagisa, Rei, and me, too. You can ask us for anything, please.” 

She pats his hand gently. “You guys have been helping. The only reason Seijuurou-kun hasn’t flown off the handle in panic is because you’re all here.” She chuckles. “You know what I’m worried about the most, Makoto-kun?” 

Makoto blinks. 

“It’s Gou.” She breathes, and Makoto feels her clutching back his hand. “A wedding is nerve-wracking, Makoto-kun. But I’m so busy, I need to make sure everything’s perfect, and I haven’t had the time to talk to her about things. I know she seems fine, I’m sure she will be—Seijuurou-kun is a great man—but there are things she might want to talk about before the marriage, and I can’t be there for her, now. I feel bad.” She pauses, and then a smile blooms on her face. “But since you’re all here, I feel more at ease. Even if she can’t talk to me now, I’m sure she’ll talk to the rest of you. So, if she tells you something, Makoto-kun, would you tell me?” 

Makoto smiles, because he can do that much. He’ll take care of people—that’s what he does best. “I will.” 

**\-----o0o-----**  

When Makoto’s family arrive, Rin noticeably turns two shades paler than usual. 

It’s Ran who gets to him first, shouting an excited “Rin-chaaaan!” before flinging herself towards him. He catches her and lets her pull him into a hug, winds his arms around her waist and hugs back awkwardly, listening to her giggling before she lets him go and launches to attack Makoto next. Ren comes up next, an easy grin on his face as he high-fives Rin and punches him gently on the shoulder. And then it’s Makoto’s parents coming, and Rin subconsciously stands a little straighter. 

“Rin-kun,” Makoto’s father greets, a formal smile that twitches on the corners of his mouth, and Rin tries not to swallow hard. Makoto’s father isn’t naturally a terrifying man, but he turns out to be more conservative than his wife, and was the only one who actively ignored Rin’s existence when he and Makoto came out to their families years ago. True, it’s been years, and Makoto’s father has slowly accepted their relationship thanks to his relentless wife, but sometimes Rin thinks he can still feel the animosity from this man. “It’s been a while since we saw each other.” 

“It’s—been a while,” he smiles, wishes it doesn’t look like a grimace when they shake hands—Makoto’s father’s grip is a bit tighter than normal. “How was your trip?” 

“It was great!” thankfully, it’s Makoto’s mother who answers, and her smile and bright cheerfulness is an oasis. Rin turns to her, tries not to look too relieved at the sight of Makoto’s mother, and lets her take his face into her hands, examining him closely. “You look good, Rin-kun. Does our Makoto take a good care of you?” 

“The best,” he answers, his smile more relaxed this time, and turns to where Makoto stands with the twins attaching themselves on each of his arm. Makoto smiles back at him, and calls out, “Not better than he does of me, Mom.” 

His mother laughs. Surprisingly, Makoto’s father also clears his throat and offers a tentative smile to Rin, and actually tells him thank you for taking care of Makoto, and—wow, Rin thinks, this is certainly a bit awkward. 

But when Makoto’s hand finds his, and Ran re-attaches herself on Rin’s other arm, he thinks this is just perfect. 

**\-----o0o-----**  

Makoto stops Gou in the hallway, ruffles her hair a little and asks, “how are you doing?” 

She blinks up, obviously not getting what he means. “Huh? I’ve been—great? What about it?” 

“Never mind,” Makoto says, ruffles her hair some more, and tells her, “come to me anytime if you have anything to talk, okay, Gou-chan?” 

**\-----o0o-----**  

“Look, Mako-chan!” Nagisa waves from the corner of the room, one of the dresses in his hand. “I’m going to try this on!” 

“I’ll help,” Haruka says, because sometimes he’s whacked in the head, too. Makoto watches him follow Nagisa into one of the separate, empty rooms where brides are usually fitted, chuckling, before turning his gaze to a red-faced Rei who sits next to him. 

“You’re not going to stop him, Rei?” 

“He won’t listen to me,” Rei answers, which is a complete lie because Nagisa might be stubborn, but Rei is the only one he would yield to. Makoto laughs, because it’s obvious on Rei’s face that he wants to see Nagisa in that dress, and says, “if you need tissues—“ 

“Makoto-senpai!” 

“I’m joking, joking.” 

Right at the time, Haruka strides into the room, straight towards where the dresses are hung. He looks at them thoughtfully, chooses six out of them, and takes them out to the room he and Nagisa previously disappear to. Rei makes a strangled voice. “Isn’t that one strapless?” 

Nagisa peeks from the door and actually,  _purposefully_ , giggles. “Rei-chan,” he calls out, almost sickeningly sweet. “Come here.” 

Haruka’s head pokes out on top of Nagisa. “Yeah, Rei, come here.” 

Rei stiffens, almost reluctantly straightens to his feet, and Makoto manages to pat him on the back before he methodically moves his feet towards where Haruka and Nagisa are waiting. The three disappear as the door closes, and Makoto leans back, inwardly counting to three and waits. 

An inhuman, horrible shriek echoes from said room. 

“What the fuck?” is what comes out of Seijuurou’s mouth when the door to Gou’s fitting room opens just as the shriek ends. Makoto turns, sends a grin Seijuurou’s way and cocks his head towards the other room where his three friends are in. Seijuurou raises his eyebrows high. 

“Sometimes I think they don’t ever grow up.” 

“Don’t we all?” Makoto counters; Seijuurou throws his head back and laughs heartily. “How’s Gou-chan?” 

“The combination of her and our mothers is frightening. I think the workers are already scared stiff.” Seijuurou steps closer and throws himself to the spot Rei previously sat on, looking over at the door to Gou’s fitting room fondly. “Though it’s mostly our mothers. Gou doesn’t really have any preference—so long as she looks good, she said. I think she looks good in everything.” 

“Your opinion doesn’t count,” Makoto comments lightly. Seijuurou retaliates by clapping his back hard and sends him into a coughing fit. “Ouch—hahaha, okay, fine, sorry!” 

The hand stops, and for a second, Seijuurou looks solemn. “Hey, Makoto, did I move too fast?” 

Makoto blinks. “What?” 

“Proposing to Gou. Did I move too fast?” A pair of anxious eyes meet Makoto’s confused ones. “Did I do the right thing?” 

There’s a long silence, because Makoto has completely no idea what to say, here, and ends up with a stupid, “Why?” 

Seijuurou’s face darkens, one hand runs up through his hair, a troubled look on his face. It’s serious, Makoto thinks, and vaguely remembers the myth about people having doubts right before their marriages—what is it called again? 

“Sometimes I still can’t believe that she accepted, you know,” Seijuurou murmurs quietly, and it’s something that’s so out of his character that Makoto completely switches to his worried gear in an instant. “I keep wondering if I did the right thing, if I wasn’t going too fast—I mean, we’ve been together for seven years, but fuck if that decides if we’re ready or not for this.” He pauses, lets out a heavy sigh. “Or if I was, you know, the right person for her.” 

How odd, Makoto thinks. Here he sits with someone that’s become one of his best friends since high school, a person who has always been so sure in everything he does, a person who is used to take the lead and pull everyone along. A person who is still a full year older than Makoto is, who seems larger than life and boisterous and inspiring, who is now reduced to a nervous wreck just because he wants a girl to be happy. 

Then again, that’s how Seijuurou has always been. 

It’s awkward; the friendship between him and Seijuurou has always been made of laughter and confidence—a relationship born from a mutual feeling of facing captaincy in high school which then turns into a more equal ground as they become good friends. Seeing Seijuurou like this and actually talking about it unsettles Makoto more than he thinks. 

He has no idea what to say, so he tells Seijuurou the first thing he can think of: “If Rin heard you just now, he’d punch you right in the face and ban you from seeing Gou ever again. Are you okay with that?” 

Seijuurou looks at him for a long time, uncertainty slowly vanishing into amusement and relief, and the laughter that rings in the room afterwards is one of the best sounds Makoto’s ever heard. He grins back, watches the lines creasing Seijuurou’s eyes turn into laugh lines, and for some reason feels proud of himself. 

The door to the other fitting room slams open and Rei appears, his face almost the same white color of the bridal gown hugging his body, hair askew, glasses missing, eyes huge and half-filled with tears, and for a second, Makoto feels like they’re all still high school kids fooling around in their clubroom. 

“Makoto-senpai, help me!” 

“Rei-chan, we’re not done yet, you forgot the headdress!” 

The room dissolves into laughter. 

**\------o0o-----**  

There seems to be so little time to spend alone with Makoto lately, Rin muses, when he opens the door to his—their—hotel room. The lights are already on, and he can hear the water running in the bathroom, which means Makoto’s taking a shower. He shrugs off his bag, throws himself onto the bed and winces when his upper arms scream in protests. Fuck the coach. Fuck those guests. Fuck his life. 

Or not. He kind of loves his life, begrudgingly. 

He must have dozed off for a while, because the next thing he’s aware of is Makoto’s half-naked figure looming above him, and Rin takes some time to appreciate the fine abs and muscles chiseled on his boyfriend’s body. He reaches out, presses his hand flat on Makoto’s stomach, feels the muscles jump under his palm, and smirks. 

“Hey,” he says smugly. 

“Hi yourself,” Makoto replies, rather amused, and then he’s leaning down, lips descending onto Rin’s forehead, down to his nose, his cheeks, his ear, his chin, before rounding back to catch Rin’s lower lip. It’s like a ritual, sometimes, Makoto’s way to check that Rin is fine, that Rin is here with him. Rin lets him, ignores the way Makoto’s gentle lips send his whole face aflame—fuck, how many years have they been together and he still blushes like a virgin whenever Makoto does this—and makes a pleased noise when Makoto finally kisses him properly. 

He can feel Makoto getting hard against his thigh, covered by only a towel, and inwardly curses his life because he’s just so fucking exhausted and he can’t, today. Fuck his life, after all. 

“Sorry,” he breathes against Makoto’s lips, “I don’t think I can. Twice the usual training menu today, so.” 

Makoto’s eyes find his, dancing in challenge. “Really?” 

Rin swallows. 

In the end, Makoto actually manages to make him come twice, the fucking beast. Rin’s half-conscious by the time they finishes, exhaustion and relief crashing down on him harder than he’d expected, and Makoto doesn’t even bother changing into pajamas, just slips right next to Rin and spoons him from behind. 

“Okay?” Makoto murmurs, and Rin makes a faint growling noise that spells out  _shut-the-fuck-up-and-let-me-sleep_. The gentle chuckle that reverberates in his ear accompanies him into the welcoming arms of blissful sleep. 

He doesn’t dream, but when he wakes up, his heart is pounding. 

“Rin?” Makoto calls, his voice barely above a whisper than Rin thinks he’s only imagining it at first. He blinks, finds himself sprawled loose on the bed, the blankets pooling around his hips, and his head on Makoto’s thigh. The bedside lamp is on, a soft hue of white that makes the room seem surreal, and Makoto’s sitting up, propped on a shit ton of pillows, one hand holding a book and another buried in Rin’s hair. The alarm clock on the bedside table says it’s almost two in the morning. 

The fingers in his hair move, running through the strands gently. “Bad dreams?” 

Rin breathes, in and out. In and out. “I don’t know,” he admits honestly, because he has absolutely no idea if he dreamt at all. “I’m not sure.” 

A flicker of guilt darkens Makoto’s face. “I’m sorry. Shouldn’t have forced you—“ 

“If you finished that sentence I’m going to kill you,” Rin threatens. Makoto’s whole body shakes as he laughs softly; Rin loves that. He turns, buries his face into Makoto’s thighs, and inhales deeply. His heartbeat evens out, a sense of safety and calm drapes over him like an old kid blanket that he and Gou used when they were kids. 

“I wonder where it is,” he mutters. Makoto’s fingers pause, and Rin feels the gentle gaze settles on him. 

“Where’s what?” 

“The old blanket,” Rin closes his eyes, inhales the lingering smell of sex and sweat. “We used to have this old white blanket—Gou and I. It was really huge. We made a fort out of it. I’d be the knight, and she’d be the badass Princess. Sometimes I’d be her horse.” He pauses and rolls his eyes. “Or her Prince.” 

The fingers in his hair mover again, softer. “Not the dragon?” 

“That would be my Dad.” And it’s been so long since the mere mention of his Dad makes his chest clench tight, or his eyes hot. Rin breathes through it carefully, hoping Makoto wouldn’t notice, but the way Makoto’s thumb presses ever so slightly against his temple says otherwise. “I’d chase Dad around the house, told Gou that she’s got to stay in the fort because she’s supposed to be the Princess, but she went out anyway and joined me.” 

“Sounds like Gou-chan, alright.” Makoto’s tone is light. “She’s a lot like you in that way. Doesn’t ever stop or give up.” 

“It’s probably in our genetics,” Rin snorts, eyes already too heavy to open even though sleep is further away. Memories are dancing under his eyelids now, like a stream of old movie playing in chunks. The day his Dad first taught him to swim, the day Gou nearly drowned in the pool because Rin wasn’t paying too much attention, the day his Mom was hospitalized for a broken arm and his Dad coming home to find the kitchen wrecked by toddlers trying to make instant ramen. 

Makoto moves a bit, and Rin opens his eyes just in time to see Makoto bending down to kiss the corner of his eye. He reaches up, slides a hand on Makoto’s nape and pulls him down for a proper kiss; it’s lazy, languid and soft, mostly only lips pressing and moving against each other, with tongues occasionally darting out to lick. It’s comforting and nice; Rin scrunches up his face when Makoto draws back and ends the kiss with a final peck on his nose. 

“Tell me,” Makoto murmurs, and Rin does. 

He begins telling Makoto about stories from years and years ago; days before his father’s death, the day of his father’s death, when he comes home from school to find his mother sobbing uncontrollably on the floor with Gou watching from the corner of the room with wide, tearful eyes. He tells Makoto how his family struggles to stand back up, how he decided to be an Olympic swimmer, how Gou’s eyes had shine in admiration when he showed her his admission to one of the schools in Australia, how the two of them had crawled under the old blanket and sleeps close the night before he went to Australia, the way Gou’s small hands clutching on Rin’s shirt as she sleeps and how Rin thought that this is one of the things he’d treasure forever. 

Then there was the whole conflict between him and basically everyone in high school, there was Gou’s relentless nagging for him to come back home and make up with Haruka and the others, there was Captain Mikoshiba trying to woo his sister while Rin’s wearing a maid outfit and the whole thing was so ridiculous, it only served the Captain right that he didn’t get any time with Gou at the school festival. There was Gou telling him with sad eyes, about how she thinks Rin should be there, swimming with Haruka and the others. There was Gou sending him mails and texts that went unanswered, there was Gou yelling at him the first time he picked up her call, there was Gou getting all nosy about his training and dietary menu. 

There was him shell-shocked at how much Gou loves abs and triceps and biceps, but even so she’s still his pure gem, so he just gets used to it instead. There was him punching Seijuurou in the face when he finds out Gou cried over his departure to Tokyo. There was him punching Seijuurou  _again_  in the face when he tried to ask Gou if she wanted to live together, because like hell that’s happening, and there was Gou grinning knowingly at him when he said he’d be moving into Makoto’s apartment. 

Gou is one constant presence in his life that Rin would protect at whatever cost. 

Makoto listens, smiles most of the time, presses his forehead onto Rin’s as Rin breathes through some painful memories, and laughs softly by the end. 

“Will you be alright?” Makoto asks, when he’s finished recounting the long memories of his life and Gou within it. “The wedding is the day after tomorrow.” 

Rin shrugs. “If she’s happy, I’m good.” 

“Rin is a good brother, isn’t he.” 

“I don’t want to hear that from you,” Rin bumps a fist onto Makoto’s chest, which is shaking from laughter. “You’ve got a sibling complex way worse than I do.” 

“I don’t,” Makoto protests, but Rin’s already leaning up to kiss and silence him properly. The clock on the bedside table says it’s almost four in the morning. 

Hours later, Rin kicks Seijuurou in the shin, watches him swear and glare, and simply says, “If you don’t get your shits together, I’m going to kill you.” 

Seijuurou turns his glare at Makoto, which Makoto returns with a sheepish grin. 

**\-----o0o-----**

The day before the wedding is unusually quiet. Rin’s gone for training and everyone’s down in the pool, including Rin’s mother and Seijuurou’s family, and Makoto pulls himself off the pool earlier than everyone else because he’s unbearably hungry. 

He is taking another shower up in his room, trying to decide which deli he should try today, when Gou barges in on him and he shrieks like a girl. 

“Gou-chan! What are you—“ a towel hits him straight on the face, and he fumbles, hurriedly throws the towel around his hips in panic, and looks up to see a red-faced Gou covering her eyes and peeking through her fingers. 

He sighs in exasperation. “What are you doing?” 

Gou giggles, but then she looks down at the floor like it’s suddenly caught her utmost interest, uncertainty and anxiety flashing clearly on her face. Then she looks up, stares right into Makoto’s eyes, and blurts out, “Makoto-senpai, please, please, please take me away!” 

Makoto’s jaw drops. 

“Huh?!” 

**\-----o0o-----**

She’s got a backpack full of clothes and toiletries and her passport and other necessities, and all Makoto brings is his wallet. 

“It’s okay,” she nods encouragingly. “I took Oniichan’s credit card.” 

Makoto wonders if today can’t get any worse. 

**\-----o0o-----**

They drop by a deli, eat too much food that they nearly can’t walk afterwards, and then Gou drags Makoto off downtown and towards the countryside. He lets her decide where they would go, follows her when she pauses in front of a shop and buys things on her whims. She pouts when he wouldn’t let her use Rin’s credit card, telling her to use his instead. It isn’t until late in the evening that the messages start to trickle in. 

Gou clicks her tongue and promptly turns off her phone. She turns a pleading look at Makoto. “Don’t tell them where we are.” 

Makoto stares at her, half in amusement and half in concern. “What are we doing, exactly?” 

“I’m running away.” She states, like it’s the fact of the universe, and brightens up when she sees a small, cozy diner hidden in between a craft shop and a bookstore. “Let’s try that for dinner, Makoto-senpai!” 

Turns out it’s a small American diner. Gou orders for them—huge plates of french fries and salad and fried chicken and gigantic-sized burgers and a pitcher of soda. It’s a good thing he eats a lot, Makoto thinks, because as much as Gou loves to eat, he doesn’t think Gou could finish the whole thing alone. Being a nutritionist, Gou once said, kind of gives you a self-conscience when it comes to food. 

His phone vibrates again—another message. It’s Rin this time:  _Are you with Gou?_  

He swipes a thumb across the screen, locking the phone without answering the message. Gou watches him closely, and then asks, “You’re not going to answer that?” 

Makoto shrugs. “Gou-chan doesn’t want me to, right?” 

Gou hesitates. “But it’s Oniichan. He might get angry.” 

“I can handle Rin being angry,” Makoto leans forward, makes a bridge with his hands and rests his chin there. “So. What is this about?” 

“Nothing,” Gou replies quickly, stuffs her mouth with fries, and Makoto chuckles. He doesn’t push, instead leisurely picks on the food and slowly eats them with apparent ease, because he knows Gou knows he’s waiting. Gou is amusingly a lot like Rin when it comes to her feelings; it’s easier to pry on her when she’s worrying about other people, but it’s utterly difficult to get her to open up about herself. 

The fact that she chooses to come to Makoto for this, instead of going off to Nagisa who is her absolute partner-in-crime, kind of sends warmth spreading in Makoto’s chest, though. 

“Makoto-senpai,” she begins, and Makoto looks up. “Don’t you want to get married?” 

He shifts awkwardly. “That’s—a difficult question.” He admits, putting back the salad fork onto the plate. “Don’t you, Gou-chan?” 

Gou bites her lower lip. “…not really.” 

Well. That’s a surprise. 

“But you said yes when Seijuurou proposed?” 

“Because I have to.” She isn’t looking at him, she’s looking at anywhere but him. She’s scared, Makoto notes, and most likely it takes all her courage to actually tell someone about this. “Because Mom wants me to get married and have children, and Oniichan said Mom will be happy. So I said yes.” 

Makoto’s eyes narrow. “But do you want to?” 

“….not really. I’m not sure.” She sighs. “I don’t think it matters. It—it really scares me, Senpai. Even if I do want to get married, I don’t think I’m ready for it now. There are so many things I still want to do, and it might sound selfish, but—when I get married, something’s bound to change, right? Because I’m a girl. People expect me to change.” 

“You don’t have to change,” Makoto says. “Gou-chan should keep being Gou-chan.” 

“I can’t just do that.” She’s biting her lower lips, the tips of her fingers shaking. “I can do that now, because all my actions would concern is me. Only me. If I get into trouble, I can keep everyone out of it. But once I get married, everything I do would concern my family—don’t you think it’s scary?” 

“It is,” Makoto agrees. “But it doesn’t mean you can’t be happy.” 

“Happy. Happy—that’s a ridiculous notion.” She’s bouncing her legs, tapping her finger, restless and nervous. “I asked my Mom, once, if she’s happy. Wanna know what she said? She told me that yes, she’s happy, because Oniichan and I are living our lives well and we’re happy, and that’s enough for her. Then I started to wonder, when I become a wife, a mother, and I feel happy, is that my own happiness or am I just watching other people be happy? Am I going to lose myself—my sense of self—somewhere in the middle of being a wife and a mom, and just—just forget? I don’t want that.” 

Makoto stares, eyes wide, surprised. “Gou-chan…” 

“I don’t even know.” She presses her palms together, knuckles white, and she looks like she’s about to cry. “I don’t want to get married tomorrow. I want to go home.” 

He wishes Rin is here. Rin would know better what to do with Gou—would know how to handle the tears threatening to fall from the corners of Gou’s eyes. But Rin isn’t here and Gou chooses to come to him when Rin can’t be there for her; Makoto really should be comforting her, giving her strength, telling her that it’d be okay, that she’d be okay even when tomorrow Rin’s handing her over to Seijuurou. But he can’t say any of it, can’t even begin to form the first word, because he thinks about Gou and he remembers how she’s always done what she thinks is right to do, not once backing down, and faces her responsibility with her head held high. 

The little girl he’d seen clutching onto Rin’s hand on the day the ship sank was gone. So was the enthusiastic girl who giggles at their abs and triceps, who keeps pushing people to get along, who strives and do her best when she realizes that being a nutritionist suits her best. That Gou—the Gou that Rin was protecting, the Gou that worms her way into the life of Iwatobi Swim Club without any hesitance, the Gou who earns the affection of Makoto and his friends enough to the point that they used to go with Rin stalking Gou and whoever she goes with on dates—that Gou was gone. 

This before him, is a young woman capable of deciding her own life. A young woman who wishes to decide for her own, to choose on her own. 

There’s a surge of inexplicable pride through his chest. He really wishes Rin was here. 

“Gou-chan,” he says, because it’s Gou’s life, and Makoto has always been best in supporting people. “You can’t run away like this.” 

She manages to snort shakily. “Because it’s pathetic?” 

“Because that’s not like Gou-chan at all,” Makoto corrects, his smile widening when Gou finally catches his eyes. “I wouldn’t be able to fully understand your fear, but I kind of do understand that you love Seijuurou a lot. Don’t you?” 

Her cheeks turn pink. 

“He’s been scared, too, you know. He told me that he wasn’t sure if he’s doing the right thing, or if he’s even the right person for you.” He laughs when Gou gives him a ridiculous gaze. “I know, right? I couldn’t reassure him at all—I couldn’t understand how it feels, after all. But I was amazed that this Seijuurou—this previously mighty Captain of Samezuka, who seems larger than life, who loves dangerous sports even more than he loves swimming—the thought of whether or not Gou-chan is happy could render him into a nervous wreck.” 

“Because he is an idiot,” Gou mutters, her voice fond, but Makoto bops her in the head anyway. 

“Because he loves you.” He smiles. “What about you, Gou-chan? Do you love him enough to try to talk to him instead of running away? He’d do anything for you, you know.” 

There’s a long, long silence afterwards, in which the food on the table are forgotten, and finally, finally Gou nods and says, “I understand.” 

She returns Rin’s credit card to Makoto, a half-grin on her face, and when they catch the bus back to the hotel, Makoto catches her sending a message to Seijuurou, and smiles. 

He’s got his own messages to answer. 

**\-----o0o-----**  

“Gou!” is the first thing out of Seijuurou’s mouth when he flies down the stairs and onto the lobby, strong arms grabbing Gou’s arms and pulling her close. Gou makes a garbled sound when he presses her head onto his chest and tucks her under his chin, but he doesn’t say anything else, and she’s glad for it. 

“Sorry,” Gou says, rather sheepishly. “I took Makoto-senpai out for a date.” 

Seijuurou nuzzles the top of her head. “Yeah. Just—stay there, I’m pretty good over here.” 

“Oi, don’t get too cozy with other people’s sister!” Somewhere behind her, Rin barks out, and Gou just has to laugh helplessly, because the whole thing is rather ridiculous, and because with every single laughter that escapes from her lips, she can feel Seijuurou’s smile growing wider. “I’m serious,  _Captain_ , I’m going to punch you in the face again!” 

“Rin,” and that’s Makoto, half-heartedly chiding. She can see Haruka coming from the stairs, Nagisa and Rei swift behind him, and she grins when Nagisa’s face brightens. She loves her life, loves everyone in it, and she loves this person holding her. And perhaps, perhaps—if it’s Seijuurou, perhaps she can do it. 

She takes a deep breath, catches Makoto’s eyes, and smiles. 

_I think I can do it,_  she mouths at him, grinning, and Makoto looks surprised, but also relieved. 

Yes, she might be able to do it. If it’s with Seijuurou, she can definitely try. 

**\-----o0o-----**  

Makoto frowns because Rin kicked Seijuurou on the shin, again. Rin doesn’t care, but he’s admittedly a bit pissed that Makoto is still frowning even after the two of them are back in their room. 

Fine, okay, so sometimes he’s still the childish kid that he was back in high school, but this one’s totally warranted, so what. 

“Seijuurou’s still older than you, you know.” 

“He’d get to hug Gou all he wants once they get married, I don’t want to see them being chummy before that.” 

The sigh Makoto lets out spells out exasperation. “Even after they get married, I’m pretty sure you’d still get mad if they so much as hold hands before you. She’s a young woman now, Rin.” 

“She’s my baby sister.” 

Makoto chuckles. “There’s no talking to you about this, is there.” 

Rin snorts. “Glad we sorted that out.” He throws himself onto the bed, eyes lazily following Makoto closely as the taller man starts shedding his outer clothes, feeling his own frown forms when he realizes that Makoto’s body is starting to change. His muscles really do change almost-too-easily. “You’re gaining a bit too much.” 

Makoto glances at him. “Weight?” 

“Muscles.” 

“Haru’s been dragging me down to the hotel pool almost every afternoon, remember?” and just for the sake of it, Makoto flexes, sending a grin Rin’s way, which Rin retaliates with a roll of his eyes. “Besides, it’s all good. I wouldn’t want Rin to get a complex over my body looking better than an Olympic swimmer does.” 

That’s it. Rin pounces—did he mention that he’s still childish like that sometimes? He’s sure he did—with a pillow in one hand and bashes Makoto in the head. His boyfriend laughs, strong hand easily catching Rin’s hips as he ducks away, and Rin chases him to bed, where he gets himself another pillow and the first bash on his shoulder from Makoto’s own pillow. It startles out a laugh from him, because oh, it is  _on_. 

“What’s the score last time?” Makoto huffs out between Rin’s pillow attack, and Rin answers with a haughty snort. 

“Doesn’t matter, Makoto—I’ll win anyway!” 

He pushes at Makoto’s shoulder, aiming the pillow towards Makoto’s stomach, but the taller man manages to flit to the side and bashes the back of Rin’s head. Rin growls, throws the pillow on his hand without even looking, and feels the smug grin stretching his face when Makoto’s yelp reaches his ears, telling him that his aim is still as good as ever. He rolls over, narrowly avoiding another one of Makoto’s attack, only to have another pillow square on the face, and then Makoto’s looming on top of him. He’s trying to pin him down, Rin realizes, and quickly tries to roll back. But Makoto’s hands shoot out, catching Rin on the ankles. Rin yelps, manages to throw another pillow, hitting the side of Makoto’s head, but fails to make the other man let go of his ankles. 

“Let go!” Rin twists, laughing, and Makoto pulls hard. He brings them closer, until both Rin’s feet rest on Makoto’s shoulders and he’s got his hips half-raised and pressed flush against Makoto’s chest. Heat goes up his face so fast Rin feels dizzy for a moment, and he stares breathlessly as Makoto bites the crook of his right leg. 

The bastard is grinning smugly, too. 

Like fuck Rin would let it end like this. His hand creeps down, pokes Makoto’s side and wriggles his fingers there, and Makoto makes a surprised, high-pitched yelp and drops Rin’s feet. Rin takes the chance to throw his whole weight forward, pushes Makoto back onto the bed and straddles him, and then starts tickling him mercilessly. 

Makoto literally shrieks. 

“Rin—stop, pffff—hahaha, wait, that’s cheating!” Makoto twists under him, squirming as he tries to get away. Rin has to use his whole weight and strength to pin him down, his thighs clamping on Makoto’s hips even as his fingers wriggles under Makoto’s shirt. Makoto shrieks louder, laughs louder, and then his hips buck up. 

Rin’s breath hitches, and Makoto actually  _moans_. 

His fingers pause and Rin leans down, presses their lips in a searing kiss and steals all the air that’s left in Makoto’s lungs. Makoto’s fingers move up Rin’s back and slides into his hair; the kiss deepens, gentle bites and quick swipes of tongue that sends shivers down Rin’s spine. It drives him insane, even more so when Makoto starts to move his hips; Rin actually has to break the kiss to suck in a much needed breath, and he lets out a long groan. 

“Makoto—“ 

Makoto leans up, teeth catching Rin’s chin. They bite and stay there; Makoto’s hips moving faster as his breath grows harsher, and Rin loses the strength of his arms when Makoto’s hips nearly toss him up. He clamps his thighs harder, presses down harder on Makoto, and lets his upper body falls, arms helplessly clutching on Makoto’s shoulders as Makoto gives up trying to kiss him all over, and simply holds Rin tighter. 

It’s fast, like pushing himself in a 50 meter race, where he gives it his all and everything ends almost too soon. Rin shudders when Makoto’s hand slips down his pants, his palm bringing Rin down harder like it’s possible for them to get closer, and then a finger is teasing Rin down  _there_ , and he can’t— 

Fuck if he loses like this. 

Rin latches his teeth on the line of Makoto’s collarbone and bites. 

Makoto makes a strangled sound, and Rin feels a finger slips inside of him, and that actually sends them over the edge. Makoto tenses under him, something warm and slick pools between their hips, and Rin pants against Makoto’s skin while Makoto buries his face into his hair, harsh breath echoing in the now silent room. They stay like that for a while; Rin sprawled boneless on top of Makoto and Makoto tracing his fingers lazily down the contour of Rin’s back, feeling each other’s heartbeat evens out slowly. 

Rin is the first one to open his mouth: “So when was the last time we came in our pants?” 

Makoto chuckles, his voice a raspy bass that just sounds so sexy, Rin thinks he might get hard again. “Our first time?” 

“You came in your pants when I wore the maid uniform in bed that one time.” 

“That doesn’t count.” 

Rin bumps a fist on Makoto’s shoulder. “I won.” 

“Yes, yes,” the amusement in Makoto’s voice is apparent, telling him that yes, he’s indulging Rin and Rin can say whatever he wants. Normally, Rin would get irritated at that, but he’s still so sated on the haze of afterglow he can’t really find it in him to snark back. Instead, he flops back on top of Makoto, absentmindedly biting on every patch of skin he can reach. 

“Your suit for tomorrow,” Makoto says into Rin hair. “Is it ready?” 

“Stop worrying over small things. I took care of it.” 

“Good.” A pause. “Gou-chan asked me if I wanted to get married.” 

Rin tenses; inexplicable surprise, jealousy and amusement crashing inside him that he doesn’t quite understand what the fuck this feeling is. “To her?" 

Makoto pulls on his hair gently. “To you, of course.” 

“Oh,” he relaxes, the foreign feeling turning into confusion. “And then?” 

“I don’t know. Maybe I kind of envy her, a little.” Makoto’s voice turns just slightly shy, and perhaps there’s a bit of shame underlining his tone. “That she can get married to someone she loves and build a family. You’d have nephews and nieces who would call you Uncle Rin, too.” The fingers on Rin’s back skitters, the slight proof of nervousness. “I mean, it’s not like marriage guarantees that you’d be together forever, but at least it makes you want to work harder for that.” 

Rin closes his eyes, feeling something in his chest constricts. “We don’t need to get married to always be together, Makoto.” 

“I know,” he feels Makoto’s smile rather than sees it, but there’s a touch of melancholy in his voice, enough to tug at Rin’s heartstring. “It’d be troublesome for your career, too. It’s hard being a celebrity, isn’t it, Rin?" 

“Shut up.” 

He rolls over and settles down on Makoto’s side, his head on Makoto’s shoulder and an arm draped across his boyfriend’s broad chest. Makoto’s eyes are closed, but Rin knows better than to think he’s asleep with the minute movement of his eyes hidden under the eyelids. He tucks his head under Makoto’s chin and hides a smile when Makoto’s arm winds around his hips. 

That’s when his finger catches on a loose thread of one of the pillows. 

Rin blinks, forefinger and thumb pulling on the loose thread, prying it off. It tangles between his fingers, and Rin stares at it for a long time, before slowly moves to sit up and says, “Makoto.” 

The sheets rustle when Makoto follows him. “Huh?” 

Rin is the romantic one, really, but even so, every single time he does things like this, the heat creeping up his face doesn’t get any easier to fight. He reaches for Makoto’s little finger, loops the thread around the base of the finger loosely three times before tying its ends. Makoto watches, fascinated, while Rin ducks his head because fuck, his face feels hot, it must be an awesome shade of red. 

“It’s red,” Makoto says, like he’s just seen something unbelievable. “The thread, I mean. Your face is red, too, though, Rin.”  
  
“Fuck you,” Rin grunts. Makoto laughs softly, large arms enveloping Rin before he gets the chance to squirm away, broad chest heaving and shaking with laughter that sounds rather raw in Rin’s ears, but the redhead knows that Makoto’s close to tears. What a crybaby. 

But the realization makes his eyes kinda-sorta-but-not-really damp, too, so Rin isn’t going to point that out. 

**\-----o0o-----**  

“Are you nervous, Oniichan?” 

Rin notices the way her voice shakes in the last syllable, and the tiniest tightening grip on his arm. He tries not to say anything, because that would just make everything worse. He pats Gou’s hand in the crook of his elbow, and answers with the lightest tone he’s got: “Nah. Not really.” 

“Liar,” she chuckles, rather high-pitched as she stares hard at the door before them.  “You keep tapping your foot.” 

“Because they’re really making us wait for a while, dammit.” 

“Don’t curse on my wedding.” 

“I’ll curse whenever I want,” he feels her shifting closer, and resists the urge to draw her into his arms the way he did so often a long time ago. If he so much as caused a wrinkle on Gou’s meticulous bridal gown, his mother would kill him. “You know it’s going to be fine, right?” 

The tiny nod that she gives makes her headdress rub against his upper arm. Rin shifts a little, so that neither his white suit nor Gou’s headdress would be messed up. Her fingers tighten, and inwardly Rin kind of just gives up and lets her ruin his suit however much she wants. “Since you’re pretty good at choosing your man. You’ll be okay.” 

Her laugh is brittle. “What if I don’t?” 

“You’ll be fine. Captain’s a great guy, even if he’s such an annoying shit. But he’s a fireman, that’s kind of a superhero, right, so you’ll be fine. He’ll take a good care of you.” 

She punches him lightly on the arm. “He’s not great, he’s amazing.” And Rin rolls his eyes at that, because the Seijuurou that Rin knows since high school is a huge dork, an idiot through and through, and he never changes.  So he’s about to counter Gou with that, but Gou is pulling his arm closer, leaning her head sideways on his arm, and all Rin could think is  _Gou is still so small_. 

“But no one’s as amazing as you, Oniichan.” 

He makes a grunting sound, averting his eyes because his fucking blood is going up his face and that’s embarrassing. “You’re going to ruin your headdress.” 

“That’s okay, I can always blame Oniichan.” 

“Like hell you can. Mom’s going to kill me.” 

“Eeeh, you’re horrible, Oniichan. On her wedding, everyone has to obey the whim of the bride, you know.” 

“Is that so? Then I should go in and kick the Captain in the ass, so we can cancel the wedding.” 

She’s laughing in earnest now, shoulders shaking with the force of it, and Rin lets an honest smile grows on his lips. His free hand takes Gou’s, the one that’s still linked on his elbow, and lines their fingers together the way they always did when they were kids. Gou looks up at him, eyes clear and happy, and Rin leans down to drop a kiss on her temple. 

“Break a leg,” he says, and Gou grins. 

The door before them opens slowly, the music announcing the bride’s arrival reverberating from the chapel, seven different shades of light falling onto the two of them as they step in, and Rin proudly watches Gou holds her head high, a smile on her face. 

“Here comes the bride.” 

**\-----o0o-----**  

Everything goes smoothly. 

Seijuurou takes Gou’s hand from Rin with an unusually solemn expression on his face, something that Rin can’t actually face with his permanent scowl, so he lets the corners of his lips twitch upwards a little. His sister would be in good hands. He glances behind Seijuurou, finds Makoto’s gentle gaze as a reassurance, takes a deep breath, and lets go of Gou. 

Gou’s smile when she steps forward on Seijuurou’s side is radiant. 

Rin turns towards his seat next to his mother. His eyes sweep on the whole chapel for a moment—there’s his former Samezuka Club guys, he can make out Nitori’s silver hair three rows behind, there’s his manager and coach, and Makoto’s family together with Haruka, Nagisa and Rei on the second row behind the Mikoshiba family. Further behind is his own extended family—aunts and uncles and cousins, nephews and nieces. There are some people from the media too, and representatives from his sponsors. His fellow athletes are on the back row, with Seijuurou and Gou’s assorted friends from high school and university. It’s not a big crowd, he thinks, but it’s just enough. 

He sits down and sees Makoto smile his way—gorgeous in the black suit that shows up the lines and muscles of his body so well. His shoulder and back broad and strong as always, standing straight on Seijuurou’s side like another pillar standing guard over the ceremony. Across from him is Ran, elegant in her white bridesmaid gown with Gou’s other two best friends, looking proud and happy. 

It’s just enough. 

The pledge is read, Seijuurou recites his answer in the most regal tone Rin has ever heard him use. 

The priest turns to Gou, and that’s when the commotion starts. 

“I can’t,” she answers cheerfully. 

**\-----o0o-----**

The room erupts into a cacophony of chaotic exclamations, shock apparent in everyone’s face. Makoto chooses to freeze, chooses not to move, not because he can’t, but because the Gou that stands in front of the altar, her gaze locking on Seijuurou’s as she stands straight and confident, is breathtakingly gorgeous. 

The box of ring that sits in his palm feels twice heavier now. 

But Gou is grinning now, radiant and satisfied and so sure of herself, the way her brother has always looked when he’s about to break through something. Gou is holding Seijuurou’s gaze, like there’s nothing that matters in the world more than the person who stands before her, who’s pledged his whole life to her. 

“I love you,” she says. “I love you so much, Sei. That’s why, I’m not going to do this now. Because—“ her gaze slides sideways, finds Makoto’s for a second, then returns to Seijuurou. “I love you enough not to let us be unhappy because we’re taking a step I’m not ready for.” 

And Seijuurou breaks into a wide grin; his boisterous laughter ringing in the small chapel and echoes happily up the ceilings, silencing the whole audience. Makoto stares, uncomprehending, as Seijuurou sweeps Gou into his arms, lifts her up and turns her around once—her laugh tinkles as she joins Seijuurou, as if they’ve just gotten married even if she just cancelled her marriage herself. Someone in the audience splutters, and barks out a warning at Seijuurou, and Makoto has to laugh because it’s Rin, of course—Rin who will forever yell at Seijuurou for so much as touching his sister, even as the couple looks back at him with grins that spell out freedom better than anything Makoto’s seen. 

“That’s my girlfriend!” Seijuurou boasts proudly. “I picked great, didn’t I, old man?” 

Makoto doesn’t know what to think when both Seijuurou’s dad and mom give him thumbs up. 

“Mom,” and Gou is gently pushing Seijuurou away, running down the altar into the arms of her mother, who is still standing shocked on Rin’s side. “Mom, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. But I’ve thought this over and over, and I’m not—I don’t want to get married now, after all. There’s still so much I need to do, so much I want to reach. I don’t need to get married to be happy now. Not now, at least.” She turns Seijuurou’s way, a small smile playing on her lips. “But I know I’d like to try, one day.” 

Her mother’s fingers are tracing the lines on her face. “Are you happy?” she asks, stark relief apparent in her voice, and Gou nods confidently. She sighs into her mother’s shoulder when brittle arms pull her into a hug, grins up at Rin when the older family member awkwardly puts an arm around the two women and draws them close. 

Seijuurou lets out a huge breath, but when he turns to Makoto, the grin on his face is the one that he always has after he saves another person from a fire. “Yeah, we did great.” 

“You’re amazing,” Makoto tells him honestly. Seijuurou laughs and claps him on the back. The audience are mostly on their feet now, half-confused but touched by the scene unfolding before them. Haruka, Nagisa and Rei are on the front row with the Mikoshiba family, their postures lax but still ready, and Makoto realizes that they’re going to throw anyone who is about to go against Gou’s decision off the window. 

He swallows back a laugh at the realization. 

“But,” Nagisa huffs out. “It’s such a waste, though. It’s a gorgeous chapel, all ready for a wedding, and no one’s going to use it.” 

Seijuurou shrugs. “Well, everything is perfect, since it’s our mothers who organized everything, but that’s okay. They had their own fun, too.” 

“Actually,” Haruka says, and for some reason, the entire chapel focuses on him when he speaks. “Makoto and Rin could just get married here. Right now.” 

Makoto chokes on nothing. He thinks he hears Rin splutter something, too, but he isn’t sure, because everything turns into a buzzing noise in his ears. He looks at Haruka, half in bewilderment and half in disbelief, but Haruka isn’t looking at him. 

Haruka is looking at his hand. At his little finger, to be precise. At the red thread that’s still tied loosely on the base of said finger; a solid form of a childish promise to reassure both Rin and himself, last night. Seijuurou is clapping him on the back, excitement written all over his face as he pushes Makoto to stand before the altar while he steps down himself. Without a word, Haruka steps up, jostling Makoto aside as he takes Makoto’s previous place. 

Makoto stares at him for a long time. Haruka shrugs. 

“I’m your best man,” he says, and of course, that should have gone without saying, right? 

When Rin steps up in front of the altar with Seijuurou following suit, his face is a wondrous shade of red that clashes with his white suit. He’s also holding Gou’s flower bouquet—obviously forced by his sister—and the way he nearly stumbles when he settles next to Makoto makes Makoto wants to laugh and kiss him senseless. 

Ah, right. He’s been ready. They’ve been ready for years. 

“I’m not wearing the headdress,” Rin hisses at Makoto, who can’t even keep his smile from widening. 

“You’re still gorgeous nonetheless.”

“Shut up. Wear it yourself, I already have flowers.” 

“Please don’t flirt in front of the altar,” Haruka says blandly, and gets a death glare from Rin. 

Under seven different shades of sunrays filtered by the stained-glass, under the elegant arch of the angels’ wings on the high ceilings above their heads, under the gaze of less than a hundred people in the chapel, the priest recites the pledge, every syllable a majestic echo that rings throughout the building. 

“—to be your wedded husband, and stand by him in sickness or in health, in poverty or in wealth, and will you shun all others and keep yourself to him alone as long as you both shall live?” 

Makoto closes his eyes, remembers the very presence of someone who couldn’t ever stop running, whose determination stronger than anyone else he’d ever known, who had reached out for him to conquer the shadow looming over them together. Together, like the promise that is still tied on the base of his little finger, a flimsy thread that’s never a match for the respect and trust they have in each other. 

His eyes prickle. 

“I do.” 

He’s been for years, and will do so for years to come. 

“I do,” Rin says, and the tears fall. 

**\-----o0o-----**  

Seijuurou and Gou still take the first dance. 

Makoto watches, a glass of champagne in his right hand, as Nagisa flits from one side of the buffet to another side with Rei trailing behind him patiently. Haruka’s involved in a tug-o’-war between Ren and Ran as the present, his eyes never leaving the makeshift waterfall in the corner of the banquet hall. Their families are mingling in—his mother giggling with Rin’s and Seijuurou’s mothers—and Rin is still standing next to him, twirling a stem of flower he’s plucked off from the wall decoration. 

He looks at Rin, who gives him a still-rather-dumbfounded look as he gestures to everything around them. 

“What the fuck?” Rin says helplessly, for the first time looking completely baffled. “Seriously, what the fuck is our life?” 

Makoto grins, and pulls him over to dance. 

**\-----o0o-----**  

He wins his race and breaks the world record. The world of swimming sport explodes, the media screaming to get so much of a line from him, but Rin clutches his gold close to his heart and thinks,  _Dad, I’ve still got a lot to do._  

“Say something about your victory, Rin,” Sousuke jostles him from the side, and the camera in front of him pans out to accommodate the grinning newcomer. “Tell them where you get that confidence and willpower!” 

“Well,” Rin says without thinking. “I don’t know. Maybe being married does motivate me more.” 

And that line just prompts more screaming from the reporters, countless questions that he ignores like he always does in favor of listening to Sousuke’s laughter. A camera comes closer, which Rin eyes with no small amount of disdain, but then, he thinks,  _might as well_. 

He thrusts the gold medal in front of the camera and switches to Japanese. 

“We’re going off on our honeymoon later, Makoto. And no, the others can’t come.” 

**\-----o0o-----**

They end up going to Australia with a private jet that Rin’s sponsor generously gave for his new world record. And of course, everyone comes along, just because. 

Makoto laughs nearly all the way there and Rin scowls. 

But when Gou snuggles into the crook of his arm and Makoto leans over to kiss him good night before settling down himself, Rin thinks he’s utterly, utterly happy with the commotion, too. 

**\-----o0ofinitoo0o-----**


End file.
